On December 19, 2022, LSHV announced its inaugural paid summer fellowship in housing law will be awarded to ten law students in March 2023.
Thousands of Hudson Valley tenants are in dire need of legal representation each year as they navigate the complexities of eviction and other emergency housing proceedings. LSHV attorneys represent low-income tenants facing eviction in housing court or confronted with the possibility of losing valuable housing subsidies in administrative proceedings, with a focus on preserving protected and affordable housing. We strive to improve the reach, quality, and effectiveness of eviction and homelessness prevention through legal representation. In 2022, our housing attorneys have handled over 6,900 cases impacting over 14,400 individual family members in the Hudson Valley region.
To help bridge the housing justice gap, LSHV will provide ten law student fellows with training, mentorship, and support in developing critical skills in housing law practice. The fellowship will allow law students to assist with representing clients as we continue the fight to maintain the fundamental human and legal right to live in habitable housing. The fellows will be an essential support in building tenant power, challenging landlord intimidation and harassment, and supporting the fight against gentrification and displacement.
LSHV Chief Executive Officer Rachel Halperin said “we are thrilled to launch our Summer Housing Law Fellowship Program to give law students interested in eviction defense a paid opportunity to be immersed in tenant defense, which is the intersection of racial equity, human rights, and environmental justice. We look forward to training and developing a diverse and zealous cohort of the next generation of public interest attorneys.”
Christopher Oldi, LSHV Pro Bono Director is "looking forward to providing a comprehensive summer experience. The fellows will not only be exposed to the intricacies of housing law but will be given the opportunity to comprehend the legal and social challenges our clients face. We hope to arm the fellows with legal tools necessary to be champions of justice for those who cannot advocate fully for themselves, and to bring this summer experience back to their law schools and communities.”
